186 
THE AMATEUR'S FLOWER GARDEN. 
the soil becomes rather dry, however, it must he carefully 
moistened with the syringe, or by dipping the pans into a vessel 
containing a sufficient depth of soft tepid water. Instantly 
upon the plants appearing remove the covers and let them 
have light and air, the ventilation being regulated by the 
weather so as to render the plants as robust as possible with¬ 
out causing a chill. They are not to be pricked out to strengthen, 
nor are they to be kept in the seed-pans to starve. As soon 
as they are large enough to handle, which they will be by the 
middle of April, they must be planted out and encouraged to 
grow freely from the very first. Any soil that will grow cab¬ 
bages will produce first-rate stocks, but it should be deeply 
dug and liberally manured long in advance of the day of 
planting: better indeed, if prepared expressly for the purpose 
some time in the winter and left rough to the last moment. It 
is, however, not absolutely necessary to prepare the ground 
until the last moment, but it must be well done, and the 
manure, in liberal quantity, thoroughly well broken up with 
the staple soil. When the digging is finished, spread over the 
bed two inches of manure rotted to powder, and prick it in 
with a small fork. Then draw drills fifteen inches apart and 
two inches deep, and in these drills insert the plants three 
inches apart. An experienced workman would lift the plants 
out of the pans by the aid of a bit of stick, and lay them in 
bunches towards the left hand, and presenting one between the 
linger and thumb, make a hole with the right hand, thrust the 
plant into it with the left, and close with the right, at a rate of 
speed which would astonish a novice looking on. 
If frost should follow, the little plants must have some 
kind of protection, and there is no more speedy and effectual 
method of providing it than to cut a lot of short branches of 
spruce, or any evergreen that can be spared, and stick them all 
over the bed. A net spread over, and kept from touching the 
plants by means of a few stout stakes, will answer well. Water 
must be supplied in plenty during dry weather, and as fast as 
the growing plants touch each other thin them out, always 
removing the weakest and those that show flowers first. 
When there begins to be a show of colour all over the bed, 
make a final thinning, taking out all that present single flow¬ 
ers first, and then the forwardest of the double ones, until the 
plants are far enough apart to promote full development, and 
yet not too far for a rich effect. When the thinning is com- 
